Last Week in Congress (4/20–4/24/26)
An update will be shared every week that Congress is in session. This will include a short summary of the past week in Congress, as well as a listing of all education-related bills introduced in the House and Senate, relevant Committee and Floor activity, and education-related hearings.
Last week, Congress continued to hear testimony about the President’s FY2027 Budget Proposal. This Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, will review the budget request for the Department of Education and hear from Secretary McMahon. Expect questions related to the transfer of significant functions out of the Department, efforts to overhaul large swaths of federal student assistance programs, and continued concern about how and when funding (both title and discretionary) will reach states.
· H.R. 8369 (Cherfilus-McCormick, D-FL), to prohibit Federal education funds from being made available to any educational agency or institution that releases any education records or other student information for purposes of immigration enforcement (Education and Workforce).
· H.R. 8394 (Titus, D-NV), to streamline the process for institutions of higher education to research marijuana (Energy and Commerce; Judiciary; Agriculture; Education and Workforce).
· H.R. 8396 (Calvert, R-CA), to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to promote compliance through education, to clarify the requirements for demand letters, and to provide for a notice and cure period before the commencement of a private civil action (Judiciary).
· H.R. 8402 (Cleaver, D-MO), to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase civics education programs (Education and Workforce).
· H.R. 8409 (Frost, D-FL), to amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to establish parity for submission and decision timelines for appeals of assistance decisions under such Act (Transportation and Infrastructure).
· H.R. 8420 (Norton, D-DC), to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide support to university law school programs that are designed to provide legal assistance to veterans (Veterans’ Affairs).
· H.R. 8463 (Comer, R-KY), to establish governmentwide requirements for pre-payment fraud prevention actions, to provide the U.S. Treasury appropriate data resources, and to facilitate participation in governmentwide anti-fraud data sharing (Oversight and Government Reform; Ways and Means).
· H.R. 8464 (Comer, R-KY), to amend title 31, United States Code, to authorize pausing and segmenting payments (Oversight and Government Reform).
· H.R. 8465 (DeSaulnier, D-CA), the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act, to authorize funding for section 619 and part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Education and Workforce).
· H.R. 8475 (DeLauro, D-CT), to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for a Savings Opportunity and Affordable Repayment plan as an income contingent repayment plan (Education and Workforce).
· H.R. 8476 (Fine, R-FL), to require each local educational agency and institution of higher education that receives Federal financial assistance to treat discrimination motivated by antisemitism as vigorously as such agency or institution treats other forms of discrimination prohibited by title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Education and Workforce; Judiciary).
· S. 4348 (Banks, R-IN), to repeal the 90/10 rule as it pertains to proprietary schools under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions).
· S. 4349 (Moran, R-KS), to ensure responsible age assurance practices within the mobile ecosystem, particularly concerning the protection of minors (Commerce, Science, and Transportation).
· S. 4365 (Tuberville, R-AL), to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve the process for the verification of social security numbers required to be provided to the Secretary of Education for Federal student aid (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions).
· S. 4382 (Hickenlooper, D-CO), to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a grant program for a workforce data quality initiative (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions).
· On April 21, the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, held hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justifications for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Health and Human Services.
· On April 21, the House Committee on Education and Workforce held a markup on H.R. 8210, the “A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026.” The bill was ordered reported, as amended.
· On April 22, the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, held hearings to examine proposed budget estimates and justifications for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of the Treasury.
· On April 22, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, held hearings to examine the President’s proposed budget request for fiscal year 2027 for the Department of Health and Human Services.
· On April 21, the Senate passed S. 1528, to amend the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to ensure that businesses and organizations that work with vulnerable populations are able to request background checks for their contractors who work with those populations, as well as for individuals that the businesses or organizations license or certify to provide care for those populations.